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Flight 157
December 5: Readying the "10-ton" Ariane 5 for its new launch date

Arianespace is moving ahead with final preparations for the 
rescheduled launch of its first increased-lift Ariane 5.

The Flight 157 launcher is back in the Spaceport's final assembly 
building, where it was returned last Saturday following the November 
28 mission postponement due to a ground-related anomaly.

Jean-Charles Vincent, the head of Arianespace operations at the 
Spaceport, said Flight 157's Ariane 5 is in excellent condition, and 
its dual-satellite payload remains integrated atop the launch vehicle.

Preparations for the upcoming liftoff include replacement of the 
external pyrotechnic igniters, which are mounted on Ariane 5's launch 
table. These devices are used to burn off the accumulation of hydrogen 
that chills down the launcher's Vulcain 2 cryogenic main engine before 
it begins operation.

The external igniters had functioned on command during the November 28
launch attempt, but data confirming their proper operation was not 
received by the automated ground control system - and the countdown 
was automatically halted at 3 seconds prior to the Vulcain engine's 
startup.

"The launch countdown interruption was a textbook operation," Vincent
explained. "It was handled just as we had practiced for such 
situations, with the Ariane 5 and its two satellites immediately 
reconfigured to the safe mode."

Arianespace continues to target a rapid rescheduling of Flight 157's
liftoff, with the new target date expected to be announced shortly.

The increased-lift Ariane 5 has a 10 metric ton payload capacity to
geostationary transfer orbit. This performance further strengthens
Arianespace's competitiveness by providing the capability to pair up 
almost any combination of telecommunications satellites for efficient 
dual launches.

Flight 157 will loft the HOT BIRDTM 7 TV broadcast satellite for 
Eutelsat and the French CNES space agency's Stentor telecommunications 
technology demonstrator.

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